GoBLUinTX

February 20th, 2015 at 6:12 PM ^

He really started quitting almost as soon as he saw the field as a freshman.  Let us not forget that one of the reasons it was so easy to move him to WR was because he flat wouldn't block as a TE.  And that passive agressivness behavior started when he was a freshman.

Joined: 12/02/2013

MGoPoints: 5895

I Like Burgers

February 20th, 2015 at 6:35 PM ^

There's a big difference between dropping balls and showing a complete lack of effort game after game. Lots of receivers drop balls and that can be forgiven, but a lack of effort is tough to forgive and overlook.

Joined: 10/06/2012

MGoPoints: 30575

I Like Burgers

February 20th, 2015 at 7:18 PM ^

Don't have any clips handy or anything like that, but I clearly remember seeing clips and replays where he was playing like a guy not giving a fuck -- not a guy that was trying and just couldn't give it his all becaasue his body wouldn't let him.  It was obvious enough that I wondered why Hoke even had a guy showing that little effort playing.  That's where the venom from the board comes from.  We cut Gardner plenty of slack for his performance even though that was affected by a lot of the same issues Funchess had, but Gardner continually gave it his all out there.  Funchess didn't.

Joined: 10/06/2012

MGoPoints: 30575

WestQuad

February 20th, 2015 at 5:44 PM ^

I wish him luck and will root for him in the NFL.   I was disapointed that he didn't do anything this year, but I was pretty disappointed with the entire team this year.  (Defense was o.k. some of the time.)    The number 1 jersey sort of set him up for it, but stil sort of harsh treatment of one of our guys.  If he is a good pro, we'll still talk about his freshman year.

Joined: 07/22/2011

MGoPoints: 31444

VectorVictor05

February 20th, 2015 at 6:15 PM ^

You're glad he's not coming back? Come theee freak on. It's not like he is some cancer. He's a guy who played well below preseason expectations mainly due to how the coaches chose to use (or NOT use) him and did not respond well to the circumstances (something a lot of people spouting BS on this board would probably do in similar circumstances). The attitude would be fixed quickly if he stayed simply due to being coached by a non incompetent staff. He'd instantly be our best offensive weapon and take a lot of pressure off whichever inexperienced QB starts in the Fall. I would LOVE to have him back.

Joined: 03/30/2009

MGoPoints: 1594

Cake Or Death

February 20th, 2015 at 9:49 PM ^

A team star who plays like a prima donna and mails it in most of the time can be a figurative cancer for a team.  There's no way he was the worst of the team's problems, but if you focus on him each play (even the way he sets up at the line), you can tell 9 plays out of 10 whether the play is designed for him to get the ball.

No one here is saying he's bad person.  If our players don't have the skills, but give 100%, I think most everyone here is behind them as fans.  But if a player's effort is 30% for a good chunk of the time, I think it's fair to be critical.  (Same goes for the coach that leaves him in the game)

Joined: 11/03/2011

MGoPoints: 3709

maize-blue

February 20th, 2015 at 6:23 PM ^

Agree, he wasn't a great or even good blocker. I just think he had better value in an offense as a super athletic TE vs. an average WR. Very athletic NFL TE's like Gronk and Jimmy Graham are lined up all over the place, not just next to the tackle in a three point stance. I think you can find better matchups moving a guy like that around rather than the traditional WR vs. CB matchup. 

Joined: 01/10/2013

MGoPoints: 44661

ClassOf14

February 20th, 2015 at 5:55 PM ^

To everyone saying he checked out last year, I don't disagree, but does anyone seriously think him playing at 100 percent would have saved our season?

I mean he may never be considered a hero around these parts but that doesn't mean we have to take shots at him as he leaves. I wish him well, and I hope he makes Michigan proud by being successful in the NFL



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Joined: 01/28/2015

MGoPoints: 1074

CorkyCole

February 20th, 2015 at 6:14 PM ^

To your point, I think that if he is successful in the NFL... people will forget their lasting views of him at Michigan.

The truth of the matter is that the offensive gameplan did not put him in a position to kill it on the field. Maybe he didn't make the most out of every opportunity, but look at Devin Gardners numbers and tell me Funchess was going to have elite WR numbers even if he did catch every ball. The passing game was terrible, and this wasn't either of the Devin's fault.

Coaching, man.

Joined: 06/13/2011

MGoPoints: 4498

ST3

February 20th, 2015 at 6:55 PM ^

Interesting question. Let's look at the 7 losses.

@ND, he had a good game, we got stomped. That's not on him.

Utah, Special teams lost that game. That loss is squarely on Hoke and puntasaurus rex.

Minn, Hoke lost that game when he decided to start, and stick with, Morris.

@Rutgers, the refs cost us that game by incorrectly ruling Darboh's catch was a drop. Funch had a good game. Not on Funch.

@MSU, we got hosed again by them. Not on Funch.

Maryland, lost by 7, he went 5-30. Maybe, just maybe if he had an 8-80 type game, we win, but then again weren't the weather conditions bad?

@OSU, 7-108. Not his fault.

So even if Funchess had the season we were all hoping for, the team still finishes 5-7, maybe 6-6.

The right guy got fired. Let's not direct our disappointment over the season at Funchess.

Joined: 09/11/2010

MGoPoints: 52799

flysociety3

February 20th, 2015 at 6:08 PM ^

Few little birdies told me he wasnt exactly respectful of the academic staff as well...

I wish Funchess the best, and he didn't exactly have a system/QB that could really maximize his potential.... But, the biggest thing limiting Funchess was Funchess. 

Joined: 05/10/2009

MGoPoints: 1617

Braylon_Edward…

February 20th, 2015 at 6:10 PM ^

I get it. He had a disappointing season. No one had a year to write home about. He could've had a AA kind of year and we still would've sucked. Let's move on and stop criticizing him. He left to achieve his dreams so how about we root for him.

Joined: 07/27/2014

MGoPoints: 2069

Braylon_Edward…

February 20th, 2015 at 6:20 PM ^

If you think he quit then that's your opinion and while I respect it there's no use arguing because I won't change your mind. However, even if he did quit, that's means we should just trash him? So far he's represented UM well and has continued to echo that he's a wolverine for life. I'm gunna support him rather than trash him.

Joined: 07/27/2014

MGoPoints: 2069

VectorVictor05

February 20th, 2015 at 6:25 PM ^

Unlike BEBackflip I will not respect your opinion. Can you please cite proof that he "quit on his team" other than a handful of dropped passes late in the year or a misplaced quote here or there? Was he not showing up to practice or openly undermining the coaching staff or team leaders? The coaching staff quit on him, not the other way around.

Joined: 03/30/2009

MGoPoints: 1594

ReegsShannon

February 20th, 2015 at 6:29 PM ^

I mean, I guess I can't provide exact evidence that he did because I don't exist inside his mind. He clearly didn't put effort into blocking though and several of his drops were the result of him not stretching out for the ball with full effort. I interpret not giving full effort as giving up on the team. I guess I can't prove it without a shadow of a doubt as I am not Devin Funchess, but that is what it seemed like to me.

Joined: 02/01/2014

MGoPoints: 3056

OccaM

February 20th, 2015 at 6:51 PM ^

Remember Tom Brady? People were clamoring for Henson at every turn... then Brady became Brady in the NFL and former critics of Michigan Brady became huge fans of NE Brady. 

Same thing will happen here if Funchess blows up in the NFL. 

Fans are fickle. 

Joined: 11/10/2014

MGoPoints: 9158